Foldable bleacher seating for sports areas



' Nov. 18, 1969 A. c. HQVEN 3,478,473

FOIJDABLE BLEAGHER SEATING FOR SPORTS AREAS Filed July 12, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 jJ/M'M m INVENTOR Alfred C. Hoven BY wall/Z0719, 741116119, 5 ATTORNEYS A; C. HOVEN FOLDABLE BLEAGHER SEATING FOR SPORTS AREAS Nov. 18, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1968 2 H35. f L

U in.

{4| 111 A Mt CL.

FIG. 3

ILJ

44 i He. 4

IN VENTOR FIG. 5

4| Alfred C. Hoven I BY @acmm Jilta'rw, iallom.

zuwb E j ATTORNEYS I A. C. HOVEN FOLDABLE BLEACHER SEATING FOR SPORTS AREAS Nov. 18, 1969 4 Sheetsl-Sheet 5 Filed July 12, 1968 INVENTOR Alfred C. Hoven B Dew/160m, Jilto-rv, iww

and

7 ATTORNEYS Nov. 18, 1969 A. c. HOVEN 3,473,473

FOIJDABLE BLEACHER SEATING FOR SPORTS AREAS Filed July 12, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR j BY f'aflonp,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,478,473 FOLDABLE BLEACI-IER SEATING FOR SPORTS AREAS Alfred C. Hoven, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed July 12, 1968, Ser. No. 744,431 Int. Cl. E04h 3/12, 3/14 US. Cl. 52-9 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In certain sports, such as baseball and football, the areas required for the playing of the game are changed considerably and bleachers which may be advantageously used for one of the sports would not be satisfactory for the other sport. In a stadium used for these sports, it is important to be able to contact the bleachers in some instances and to expand them in other instances, and when expanded it is of vital importance that the expanded structure be securely and firmly held by solid foundations.

I have discovered that playing areas in a sports field can be varied with respect to the placement of bleachers by providing sunken supports within certain areas of the field and utilizing support means for mounting bleachers or tracks for bleacher sections upon the sunken supports when the bleachers are needed, and when not needed such apparatus can be collapsed and the sunken supports covered so that the area is available as part of the playing field.

THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 23-step section of bleachers, set up for use at a game. In the lower section, 12 bleachers are provided and in the upper section 11 bleacher platforms are provided; FIG. 2, a perspective view of a structure in which there are three bleacher structures, the sections being folded upon a concrete apron and the track pieces stacked in front of the bleacher platform sections, the anchor tubes being shown in the field forwardly of the folded bleachers; FIG. 3, an end view of a section of four tracks,

as shown in perspective in FIG. 9; FIG. 4, an end view of a section of two tracks similar to the four-track section; FIG. 5, an end view of a single track showing three sets of bleacher casters supported by the track; FIG. 6, a side view of the bleacher structure shown in FIG. 1 and showing the sunken ground supports; FIG. 7, a side view of the bleachers in the stored position as illustrated in FIG. 2; FIG. 8, a broken front view in elevation of two bleacher sections; FIG. 9, an exploded perspective view of a portion of the track section and the supporting means for the lower track and upper track; and FIG. 10, a broken sectional view of the upper portion of a track support showing how the sections of track are attached to the support.

ice

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 9, a playing field in front of the folded bleacher sections is provided with underground supports which extend up to the ground level and preferably just below the level so that when the apparatus is used the ground may be used as a playing field. When it is desired to utilize this area for a bleacher area, telescoping supports can be engaged with the sunken supports, tracks mounted upon the above-ground supports, and mobile bleacher sections carried by the tracks in one or more levels.

The telescoping bleacher sections 20 consist of a lower track system 21 and an upper track system 22 which support a lower section of 12 bleachers 23 and an upper section of 11 bleachers 24. However, the number of bleachers may be varied to accommodate field conditions. This system is supported at the rear by part of the permanent concrete stadium wall section 25 and by a series of anchors 26 hidden in the ground. If desired, the structure may consist of only one track.

Referring to FIG. 9, the anchoring system 26 consists of a bottom block of concrete 27 onto which the receptacle tubes 28 for the lower support are mounted with leveling bolts 29 covered by a second thinner block of concrete 30. The capped tops of receptacle tubes 28 are preferably below the surface of the turf 31 of the playing field and are capped at 32 to prevent trash from falling into them, and someone from stepping into the open holes. It is preferred to have the caps 32 attached to the tubes 28 by chains 33.

The lower supports 34 and upper supports 35 are made in the same manner, with two tubes 36a and 36b connected at the bottom by cross members 37a and 37b, cross bracings 38a and 38b, and two channels 39a and 39b at the top on each side of receptacles 40a and 40b. The lower supports 34 are inserted into the anchor tubes 28, while the upper supports 35 are inserted into the receptacles 40a of the lower supports.

Each track section 21 or 22 consists of two or four pieces of track 41 joined together at each end with two straps of metal 42 which hold the tracks onto the channels 39 of the supports as shown in FIG. 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, each track 41 is wide enough to hold three sets of casters 43, each set from a different section of bleacher, so that the two-track section 44 can accommodate six sets of casters for six sections of bleacher and are located in the forward end of the lower and upper sections of track 21 and 22, while the four-track sections 45 can accommodate the casters of all of the bleachers in the lower section 23 or the upper section 24 and are at the rear 45 of the track sections.

In the operation of the structures, I prefer to employ a definite sequence in the setting up of a section of bleachers 20. First, all of the caps 32 are removed from the anchor tubes 28. Then the lower supports 34 are set into the anchor tubes and the braces 46 are attached. The four-track sections 45 are set onto the supports, beginning from the rear where they are attached to the short tracks 47, and the two-track sections 44 are installed in the forward positions. Now, the lower section of bleachers 23 can be rolled out.

The upper supports 35 are not set in place in the receptacles 40 of the lower sections 34, braces added, and the four-track sections 45 as well as the two-track sections 44 are placed in their proper positions atop the upper supports. Now the upper sections of bleachers 24 may be rolled out and locked in place.

The reverse procedure may be followed in disassembling and storing of the bleachers. First, the upper section 24 may be telescoped into its storage space, then the tracks are taken down, and the upper supports removed. Then the lower section 23 may be rolled into its storage position, the tracks dismantled, the supports removed, and finally the caps placed into the tops of the anchor tubes 28.

It will be understood that suitable locking means (not shown) may be employed for securing the tracks in their extended positions and also for securing the collapsed bleacher sections when they are folded or stacked.

While in the foregoing specification I have set out specific structure and procedure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Foldable bleacher sections for a playing field, comprising a plurality of underground supports in the'playing field having portions extending upwardly and terminating at a level not above the playing ground level, a track, pedestal support means telescoping with said ground supports and carrying said track, and telescoping bleacher sections mounted on said track.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said ground supports comprise buried cement foundations and pipes embedded in said foundations.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which closures are provided for said support members.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said pedestal members are arranged in pairs connected by bridge channels and on which an upper track is mounted.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said bleacher sections are provided with casters resting on said tracks.

6. In combination with a playing field provided with aligned underground supports having portions extending upwardly and terminating below the playing ground level, a track, pedestal support members telescoping with said ground supports and supporting said track, bleacher sections mounted upon said track for movement outwardly to extended position and inwardly to folded position, and an apron for supporting said inwardly-folded sections.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said tracks are in sections and are interlocked with said pedestal support members.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which said pedestal members are in spaced relation and are bridged by channels, and in which said track is in the form of sections, each section being interlocked with one of said channels.

9. The structure of claim 6 in which said track is in the form of sections and said pedestal supports are in the form of sections Which may be stacked after the bleacher sections are in folded position.

10. The structure of claim 6 in which there are upper and lower tracks and said pedestal supports are in sections for supporting the upper and lower tracks.

11. Foldable bleacher sections for a playing field, comprising a plurality of underground supports in the playing field having portions extending up and terminating below ground level, upper and lower tracks, pedestal supports telescoping with said ground supports for carrying a lower track, pedestal supports telescoping with said first-mentioned pedestal supports for supporting an upper track, and telescoping bleacher sections mounted on said tracks for movement inwardly to folded position and outwardly to extended position.

12. The structure of claim 11 in which said ground support members are provided at their tops with caps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,482,701 2/1924 Rigaumont 52-10 2,584,066 1/ 1952 Torkelson 52-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,011 1931 Austria.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner 

